Due to current world events, there is an urgent need for highly effective law enforcement, security, and military training. Training involves practicing marksmanship skills with lethal and/or non-lethal weapons. Additionally, training involves the development of decision-making skills in situations that are stressful and potentially dangerous. Indeed, perhaps the greatest challenges faced by a trainee are when to use force and how much force to use. If an officer is unprepared to make rapid decisions under the various threats he or she faces, injury to the officer or citizens may result.
One training technique that has been in use for many years is the utilization of a simulation system to conduct training exercises. Simulation provides a cost effective means of teaching initial weapon handling skills and some decision-making skills, and provides training in real-life situations in which live-fire may be undesirable due to safety or other restrictions.
Simulation systems for such training have included devices to simulate the threat posed by an offender discharging a shot toward, and possibly impacting, a trainee. One such device is known as a shoot-back cannon. The shoot-back cannon discharges nylon balls at high velocity toward the trainee, with the nylon balls simulating bullets. Automatic targeting methods have been employed for directing the shoot-back cannon toward the trainee to reduce the instructor's burden of manually tracking and targeting the trainee. Training exercises typically involve teaching the trainee to seek cover.
One problem encountered with the shoot-back cannon is that due to the presence of high velocity nylon ball projectiles, the trainee must wear safety eye gear. The safety eye gear can have an adverse effect on the shooting accuracy of the trainee. Moreover, others in the area of the shoot-back cannon must also wear safety eye gear, generating both additional responsibility and liability for the training facility. Even with safety eye gear on, there is still the potential that the nylon ball projectile could injure the trainee or others, or damage equipment in the area. In addition, the nylon balls are a slipping hazard when on the floor because they can behave like ball-bearings under the foot of an individual.
In addition to problems associated with safety, the shoot-back cannon could misfire or miss the intended target. When this happens, the training opportunity is lost. More critically, however, the trainee may consciously or subconsciously marginalize real-world threats.
Typically the nylon balls are reused in the shoot-back cannon. Consequently, time intensive collection of the nylon balls is required. Finally, the shoot-back cannon is a mechanical device prone to break-down and wear-and-tear over time, necessitating costly repair and/or replacement.